The two most common variations of the Greek pass translated as 'Hot Gates' where the 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians fought to the death are Thermopylai, which is the Greek transliteration while Thermopylae is the more familiar Latinized version.
The name 'Hot Gates' was given because of the sulfurous springs which are located in Thermopylae and which are still acrid smelling today as they were during ancient times.
Thermopylai sign as written in Greek & the English phonetic pronunciation
The Hot Springs of Thermopylai
Hot Springs of Thermopylai - View I
Hot Springs of Thermopylai - View II
The Pass of Thermopylae consisted of three 'gates' where the land narrowed in a favorable position for a smaller army. The East & West Gates were extremely narrow, however, the Middle Gate while a little wider than the other gates is where the Greek warriors set up their defensive positions.
The Middle Gate is also where the Greek warriors fortified the Phokian Wall which was in a state of disrepair upon arrival by King Leonidas and the Spartan forces. This man-made barrier had been used as a defense by the citizens of Phokis against invaders from Thessaly, however, for the Battle of Thermopylae it was reconstructed to aid the hoplites in repelling the Persian army.
The Phokian Wall
The Phokian Wall
In 1939, Spyridon Marinatos the eminent Greek archaeologist excavated the remnants of what is thought to be the Phokian Wall at the battlefield of Thermopylae as can be viewed from the image above.
